Daddy's Little Monster
by StripedFuzzySocks
Summary: It's always been a well-known fact among the Lab Rats that they were created - not born, so therefore they have no parents. That is, until Bree accidently stumbles upon some papers that will change everything. As the search for answers continues, the Lab Rats find that everyone has their secrets, and some may be better left hidden...
1. Chapter 1: Upgraded

**Disclaimer: I do not own Lab Rats or any other Disney owned mention, only this FanFic which belongs to ME. © StripedFuzzySocks**

**A/N: Hey, world! This is my first ever published story on FanFiction so I'm really excited about it. I hope you all love this story as much as I do. Thanks for reading. Enjoy :)**

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Chapter 1

**Upgraded**

**Bree**

I walked home normally that day, meaning without _super speed_. It felt so weird to walk this way, one step at a time. Super speed was almost flying, gliding across the ground at light speed. The feeling is difficult to describe to someone who has never experienced it before. I missed the adrenaline rush, the world blazing past me in a blur. But today, I had good reason to be normal just for one afternoon. Ethan.

He offered to walk me home from school today when we found out we were in the same neighborhood. I had never really paid attention to my neighbors before thanks to Davenport drilling 'stranger danger' into my head for as long as I can remember. But this was great news. Now Ethan and I could see each other all the time! I jerked out of my thoughts when I felt something touching me. Looking down, I spied Ethan's hand tenderly closed around mine and automatically my defense mechanisms sprang into action.

My muscles tensed and the hairs on the back of my neck stood straight up. He had never done that before. All of my martial arts training ran through my head in a rush and I couldn't explain it but I had a powerful urge to grab his arm, flip him, and promptly super speed my way back to the lab. This, of course, did not happen. I snapped my gaze back to the front and forced myself to calm down. I took a deep breath and told my dumb chip Ethan wasn't an attacking enemy and I didn't need to _flip _him.

Once my body returned to normal, I started to realise that it kind of felt... nice. It made me feel safe and secure, like as long as we held hands, nothing could crush us. I know, sounds ridiculous, right? But I left myself have that moment of pleasure before Ethan began talking again.

"You know your favorite band, Lemonade Mouth?" He asked me casually but I could sense something was coming.

"Yeah..." I replied warily, trying to figure out where he was going with this.

"Well, they're having an outdoor concert tomorrow only fifteen minutes away. I've got a car, so I can drive you there. We can go together." He offered. He just dropped the topic casually like it was no big deal but when I glanced his way, I could sense his hopeful anxiety as strongly as if it were my own. Then it dawned on me. He was asking me out on a _date_. Wow, our first date. _My _first date. Ethan and I had been together as a couple since we connected at the school dance but had never actually had a real first date. Until now.

I was at a loss for words. How is someone supposed to respond to something like this? Ethan was acting nonchalant about the whole thing, so should I play it cool too? I decided to do the same. First date? No biggie. Just another little event on the old planner.

"Yeah, that sounds like fun. I'll be there." I smiled flirtatiously and inched a little closer to his side. I couldn't wait to get home so I could scream into a pillow and freak out like a girly girl. What? I'm not cool all the time. And just as it came up, we were rounding the last corner and approaching the end of our walk. I was on the verge of running around the world and back just for the fun of it. Ethan and I parted in front of my house.

"I'll text you the details!" He called over his shoulder as he strut away looking just as elated as I was. I paused to watch Ethan walk all the way until he turned the last corner to his house before I finally came inside my home. _Tomorrow is going to rock._

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An electrifying shock shot through me, sending chills down my spine. My neck felt frazzled and stiff afterwards like it always does when Davenport messes with my chip. I wanted so badly to scratch the back of my neck but he didn't give us the "all clear" sign yet. In the meantime, I tapped my fingers against the capsule's glass and wondered what kind of crazy ability I would get this time. But I had a feeling it wouldn't just be _my _crazy ability. On my right, Chase and Adam stirred in their capsules as the operation came to an end and all three of us began to wake.

That's what the shock was for, to wake us up. If we didn't get shocked, who knew how long we would be asleep under the medication? I looked back to the front just in time to catch Davenport's "all clear" sign. Thank goodness. I was ready to get out of there and go experience life. I stepped out of my capsule and started to stretch out my stiff muscles. Jeez, how long was I in there? Must have been some upgrade. Davenport drew his gaze over all three of us and sighed contentedly.

"That operation was flawless! I continue to amaze myself with my ingenious me." He flashed a movie star grin and I rolled my eyes.

"Maybe when you're done kissing your own butt, you can tell us what you did that was so genius." I said with mock curiosity.

Davenport shot me a glare while Chase snickered. "_Ha ha_. I'll have you know that I may have potentially made you three the most powerful force on Earth." Davenport paused dramatically to let his words sink in. I'd already known that we were powerful - especially compared to the average teen - but what had he done to make us all that he talked us up to be? Intrigued, I kept my mouth shut to let him explain.

"I was thinking about Chase's Commando App when I got the idea for this. Like the Commando App, the Absolute State activates in the face of an imminent threat but it takes a bit more push for activation because this is much, _much _more powerful. The Absolute State is de-activated when the threat has been eliminated. But when it activates, it affects all three of you at once, giving you incredible powers you've never even dreamed of possessing before." Davenport raked his gaze on the now perplexed three. A million questions ran through my head at once. What kind of powers did we get? And when he mentioned the threat being eliminated, did he mean _dead_? The thought of me killing someone because I had no control over myself made me feel sick. At that moment I couldn't care less about how much "power" I had. I didn't want to be a murderer!

"Like what kind of incredible powers are we talking about here? Do I get to fly? Or have swords for arms?" Adam asked enthusiastically. I had looked at Davenport the whole time but Adam's statement caught me off guard. I jerked my head to the side so I was gazing into his eager expression. How could he say that? Didn't he consider all the damage we were capable of doing now?

"Don't be silly, Adam. We have to think about this seriously." Chase argued. Thank goodness! At least _someone _else had some concerns about the ethics of this. Chase sometimes comes off as a straight-faced robot babbling about statistics all the time but I think underneath that emotionless exterior -

"We're probably just going to have the same abilities we have now only to extreme measures. Right, Davenport?" - is a cold, dead chip where his heart was supposed to be. So much for having someone on my side. Looks like it's a one-man fight, which is fine. I didn't need that jerk anyway.

"Yeah, I'll admit the Absolute State sounds pretty cool with the new powers and all, but have any of you considered what we're _really _capable of doing? With uncontrollable power running loose, we could destroy entire cities in pursuit of the 'threat'. And frankly, I'm not a fan of striking down all our enemies either." There, I said it. I spoke my mind, take it or leave it.

Three stunned pairs of eyes turned slowly to look at me. Under their astonished stares, my confidence began to ebb. Was I really so far out of line by speaking out against the upgrade? Finally Davenport cleared his throat and began to speak.

"Bree, the purpose of the Absolute State is to guarantee success. And during say, a battle, this could definitely come in handy because it will keep you completely focused on the fight and nothing else. It could very likely save your life one day." Davenport explained. But I still wasn't convinced.

"But what about the lives of others?" I pressed. I had come too far now to back down.

"Listen, as much as I hate to bring it up, you're not going to be training in this lab forever. One day, you'll be out on real do-or-die missions where you will do what you must to keep the world at peace. If that means killing someone, then it means killing someone. That's your destiny, the reason you were created. The Absolute State is there to help you save the world." Davenport looked boldly into my gaze, daring me to contradict him.

But I didn't have anything left in my fuel tank. He had played the destiny card. Hard to argue with that. I sighed recessively and refused to look him in the eyes. "I understand." I forced out the words out. To simply say that defeat tastes bitter would be a huge understatement. Davenport seemed satisfied with my answer and didn't bring up our 'little' conversation again for the rest of the day. But I couldn't stop thinking about it. One day, I get asked on my first date and the next it's like I'm enrolled in the military. But the way Davenport had put it, I might as well have been born a general.

Then it hit me. _The date_. Between the upgrade and the painful wake-up-call-conversation, I had completely forgotten about it! Ethan was to pick me up at my house with his car. Right. I frantically searched for a clock then remembered I had one built-in. It was 4:51:08. I had about nine minutes to get ready. I let out a sigh of relief. I was afraid I'd missed it. I had more than enough time to change into something cute and non-mission suit. I could even swing by the mall if I wanted something new. In the end, I decided on getting a whole new outfit. Hey, I deserved it.

I zipped back home in a matter of seconds feeling like I just stepped out of a fashion magazine. I stood critiquing myself in front of one of the many mirrors Davenport just had hanging randomly around the house. I must have adjusted hundreds of microscopic errors with my appearance before Adam and Chase strolled into the living room. I hardly glanced in their direction before straightening out my jeans - again. They must noticed have noticed all the fuss over my look because they started laughing and whispering to each other trying to get a rise out of me.

"Ah, don't you love nature - despite what it did to you?" Chase grinned mischievously. Here we go. This will probably end with two black eyes and one happy Bree. Will they ever learn?

"Yeah!" Adam added.

"I don't suppose _you _have anything worth dressing up for?" Silence. "Yeah, didn't think so." Bree - 1. Guys - 0.

"If case you've forgotten, we all just got an upgrade so the side-effects are bound to start kicking in any time now. But you obviously don't mind puking on your date. Poor kid. He'll never even know what hit him." Chase and Adam pretended to throw up all over the floor. I'd forgotten about the upgrade side-effects! They were late so that meant they were more likely to be severe, and by severe I mean driving me _insane_.

The one downside to getting upgrades is the ever annoying side-effects that last about 24 hours at best. What I've learned is the longer it takes for them to start-up, the harsher the side-affect. Adam and Chase were referring to my last upgrade when I got the ability to rappel off walls. I started throwing up and couldn't stop. I literally puked with nothing in my stomach. This went on for the entire stupid 24 hours. But I wasn't the only one to ever get an upgrade. I held back a sly grin as I recalled the time Chase got his Commando App. His voice cracked to the point where it was too embarrassing to talk at all because every time he said something to defend himself, he'd just make us laugh even harder. Hmm. Now there's an idea.

"I'm actually feeling just fine." I started. "But I can't say the same for you, Chase." I deliberately made my voice crack on that last statement to an exaggerated measure just to annoy him. He shot me his best death glare while Adam and I burst out laughing. I'd just brought back a bad memory _and _stolen his favorite partner in crime. More like a cute little side-kick, but still.

Suddenly Chase's death glare receded and shot to the door. The beginnings of a subtle smirk began to form on his face. "Ethan's only a block away." That was all he needed to say to turn me into a storm of panic. I completely forgot about the argument and whipped my attention back to the mirror. I did a quick scan and finally concluded that I looked okay. I super-sped to the door wishing I could speed all the way to his car so I wouldn't have to wait. The one thing I hate more than anything in the world is waiting. It practically kills me how slow the rest of the world is compared to me.

"Wait, you're _actually _going on a date today? With the upgrade and side-effects and everything?" It was the first time Adam had actually said his own sentence in the argument. Huh, I hadn't really thought about it that way before. On the other hand, this date was really important. It was my first one and besides, Lemonade Mouth was only playing that day and then they were off to the next town and it would be too late. It just couldn't miss it.

"Yes, I really am. I just can't miss it. I'll have to deal with the side-effects, whatever they are. This is important." I replied sincerely.

"Alright, your choice. But just so you know, if you end up killing the guy don't come crying to us." Chase smiled jokingly so I knew he didn't mean it. He may not have meant it, but his mention of me killing someone brought my mind back to the earlier conversation with Davenport and with the memory came the sickening dread of the concept. Would Ethan be the first to die under my new abilities?

But there was no time to ponder the dreaded question before the doorbell rang. I took a deep breath and calmed myself down by convincing my brain that today was a day like any other. _There is no danger. You and Ethan are perfectly safe. _I thought, making the dread creep away for the moment. Putting on my most radiant, happy-go-lucky smile, I opened the door.

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**A/N: So, what did you guys think? And more importantly, what kind of train-wreck will this date turn out to be? Because we all know a train-wreck is a' comin'. ;)**


	2. Chapter 2: Below Zero

**Disclaimer: I do not own Lab Rats or any other Disney owned mention, only this FanFic which belongs to ME. © StripedFuzzySocks**

**A/N: Well, here it is! The next chapter has arrived, this time narrated by Chase. While Bree is on her date, the guys decide to make their own fun and have a Bree-Free Day. But when the side-effects come in, they're stronger than ever - and possibly life threatening. I'll let Chase take it from here...**

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Chapter 2

**Below Zero**

**Chase**

I hid behind the rock and ran through the game plan once more. While Adam and Leo distracted the Red Team's army, I was to take the path through the woods and lead a sneak bomb attack from behind. Those reds wouldn't know what hit 'em. Suddenly without warning, I shot out from behind the safety of the rock and raced to the nearest cover. The battle ground was nearer. I checked the time bomb's clock with dismay. It was nearly too late! In a flurry of panic, I abandoned all shelter and bolted to the clearing where Adam and Leo were struggling to hold off the reds. I wished I had Bree's super speed right then. It sure would make things a heck of a lot easier.

In my desperate race in the open, I'm sure I got shot multiple times to the point where my energy would run out completely and it would be all over. But miraculously I survived and threw the bomb smack dab in the middle of the mass of red. I laughed triumphantly from the clearing's outskirts as Red Team bits scattered everywhere in a fiery explosion. It was beautiful in it's own twisted, disgusting way. But the image soon dissolved into nothing as a blackout of yellow covered the screen. "YELLOW TEAM WINS!" the TV boomed.

The three of us cheered and put down the controllers to high-five each other. It had taken a grueling two hours and 137 losses, but we finally developed a fool-proof plan of success - stock up on nuclear time bombs and blow stuff up!

"Take _that_, red4eva0812!" Adam shouted at the yellow screen. "Who's crying for their Mommy now?"

"Who's red4eva0812?" Leo asked. I hardly ever looked at screen names, I'm just the blow-it-up guy.

"He's the jerk that told me to go crying for my 'Mommy'. But the joke's on him! I don't have a mom to cry to!" Adam exclaimed in triumph. I winced inwardly. One truly aggravating thing about Adam that makes me want to rip out his vocal chords is how freely he talks about everything to literally everyone. I can't tell you how many times he's almost told people he was bionic without even realising it. Honestly, if I wasn't around to look out for him, he'd be stuck in Davenport's top-secret Training Facility in Antarctica where the only people he could talk to were penguins. Speaking of Antarctica, it was _freezing_ in here! I just got a chill.

"Man, it's freezing in here! Is anyone else cold?" I asked. They both shook their heads and looked at me like I was crazy. Come on! The last time I was this cold, Davenport was testing how well I could handle extreme weather conditions. It couldn't just be me! But Leo had already turned his attention back to Adam.

"Adam, what did you mean by 'you don't have a mom'? Everyone has a mom! It's the natural order of things." Leo sounded genuinely perplexed by the statement. Of course he would be confused. This was higher biology we were talking about and the kid barely gets a B- in science because he sucks up to the teacher like there's no tomorrow. I sighed impatiently. I was in no mood for the lengthy explanation of how we were created instead of born. _I think this cold is making me irritable._ I thought as I left the living room to get some water. I'd let Adam deal with this.

I literally shivered as I opened the fridge for the bottled water. My teeth were chattering erratically and goosebumps crawled up my newly pale arms. Okay, this had just gone from strange to paranormal. I quickly shut the refrigerator door and instinctively rationalized the situation. _If I'm cold, I just need to make the room hotter._ I reasoned. Seemed simple enough.

"Eddy, turn up the heat." I ordered in that get-to-the-point way of mine. A familiar black and white face lit up on the fridge screen.

"Only if you say 'please'." A mocking electronic voice answered me. I hate when he does this. But another chill up my spine and I surrendered.

"Fine, please." I tried not to wine but I did anyway.

"Hmm... I don't really feel like it. Bye!" After a strange electric chuckle, the screen went back to black.

"C'mon, Eddy! I'm freezing to death here! Turn up the heat!" I begged. The cold stung like a freezing fire on my skin and I was growing desperate. _But that's just what he wants, isn't it? _I thought sourly. So typical of him. Eddy wouldn't touch the temperature controls until I was on my knees. Which at this point I was willing to do. Anything to get warm again. Rolling my eyes and muttering curses under my breath, I got down on my knees and begged the still black screen to turn the heat up. After a few painful moments of nothing, Eddy re-appeared on the fridge.

"Awe, I'm touched! All I was going for was 'Please, Eddy.' but begging on your knees is _much _more appreciated! Two extra degrees up for you! Such a good boy!" Eddy gushed over me like I was his pet or something. Now, _that _crossed the line! I mentally decided to get revenge later and enjoy the heat now. I knew it would take a few minutes for the house to get truly warm so while I waited I realised with a terrifying jolt that I was completely numb all over. Just to make sure I took a fork and stabbed my pale, white hand. I didn't feel a thing. It was like I was made of plastic.

I froze in panic, my eyes wide. In vain, I stabbed myself again but again felt nothing. I was freaking out. I kept stabbing my hand over and over until blood began to well at the small wound. And still, I didn't feel the slightest twinge of pain. Finally, I admitted defeat and put the fork away. I simply stared dumbfounded at my bleeding hand, genuinely perplexed. What was happening to me? Never in my life had there been a problem or situation that I couldn't solve. Not knowing is my worse nightmare and there it was right in front of me in the form of a painless, bleeding hand.

_This isn't happening._ I told myself over and over. _I'm hallucinating. It's a side-effect. I'm okay._ I made up a million excuses to comfort myself, to pretend like I knew what was going on, like I had control of the situation. Finally, I decided on a plan of action. To get my water, bandage my hand, and pretend like this whole whack-job-of-a-water-trip never happened. I took a deep breath and opened the fridge once more, causing another icy chill to grip my spine. I pretended not to notice. I casually let my eyes wander the fridge for the bottled waters, trying my best to suppress my shivers.

I pulled the water out of the fridge and was grateful to shut the door. I twisted open the cap and took a large, refreshing gulp that made feel good again, almost sane. How I wished _that _had been the case. When I snapped back to reality, I found my dry lips frozen at the opening. I pulled away, confused again. I turned the bottle upside down so that the opening faced the floor. Not a single drop poured out yet the bottle filled to the rim. After a closer inspection, I found that the water was completely frozen. I groaned aloud with frustration. I had enough of these topsy-turvy events that made NO sense.

I dropped the bottle to the ground, not caring that it smashed the bottled ice block a little. I stomped out of the kitchen back to the living room where hopefully the world was still right-side-up. I groaned again at the sight I saw. _The universe just loves proving me wrong, doesn't it? _I thought irritably.

There, plain as day, was Adam standing in the middle of the living room. Nothing weird about that, you say? Try Adam standing in the living room giving a speech about the pros and cons of genetic altering of _corn_. This had 'side-effect' written all over it. Leo was sitting on the couch with his mouth wide open, not even trying to disguise his astonishment.

"Chaaaase?" Leo yelled at the top of his lungs. Or at least that's what it felt like when my ear drums _split in half_. Gritting my teeth, I covered my ears and endured searing pain ripping through my canals. But it was over in a second and I turned back to normal.

"I'm right here! And once again, you don't have to yell for me. I can hear you fine anywhere without you yelling." I could have screamed this into _his _ears so he would know my pain, but I didn't because I'm just too nice (and it would back fire on me).

"Right. Can you fix Adam? He's not fun anymo-" Leo froze mid-word as he turned to face me. He stared at me wide-eyed and speechless of several moments.

"What? Is it my hand? Because it'll heal fast, you know. Bionic kids heal fast." Nothing. "Well, what is it?" I pushed, becoming increasingly more annoyed.

"Y-you look horrible!" Leo blurted out.

"Well, you're one to talk!" I automatically shot back. What was his problem?

"No, I mean you're really pale. Like, _seriously _pale. Are you sick?" Leo sounded genuinely concerned. I did notice I was pretty pale last I checked... it was worth looking into. Maybe that was my side-effect.

"Well, now that you mention it, I am freezing to death." I replied dryly. I approached the nearest mirror and almost gasped myself. My skin was a sickly white and ice was forming within my hair. My horrid reflection reminded me of someone who was dying. Which I think is fitting considering I felt like a dying person. The cold had taken over my body by now and I was slowly deteriorating.

"But it's not even cold in here! How is that - oh. Side-effect?" Leo nodded with a new understanding. I turned away from the mirror, my reflection too painful to look at anymore. Okay, I needed a genius plan fast. I always had a plan for everything and it never once failed me. _Step One: Identify the problem. _My automated mission helper piped up. My problem was that I was freezing to death and powerless to stop it. Any other words of wisdom, mission helper?

_Step Two: Calculate the risk factors._ It continued. Right, I needed to know how much time I had left before... it happened. The equation easily weaved its way into my brain and got simpler, simpler, and _oh no_. I had approximately one hour to live. If I wasn't bionic, I'd be dead by now but then again, if I wasn't bionic I wouldn't be in this mess in the first place. Davenport was _so _getting it - right after I asked him for help. Speak of the mad scientist.

"Woah, looks like the side-effects kicked in, am I right?" Davenport laughed hysterically and returned to his automatic expression. I wanted to punch him hard - right in the mouth that made a joke out of my dying state. But I restrained the desire for the sake of... well, me.

"Listen, you need to fix me now. According to my calculations, I don't have that much longer to live so I would appreciate it if you quit laughing and started doing something useful!" I demanded forcefully. I hadn't meant to come off so mean-sounding, my world was just in turmoil. Deep down, under the anger and frustration, I was scared. Sure, I'd been in countless near death situations before, but it was always under my control. This was out of my hands.

Davenport gave me a hard stare, the same no-nonsense I'm-the-dad-and-you're-the-kid look that he wore when one of us 'kids' got cocky. Usually it was me that received this expression. What can I say? Bionics can make a kid cocky. "Chase, I can fix your condition but you need to fix your attitude. I gave you your abilities and I can just as easily take them away. We clear?" He firmly stated.

"Clear." I replied simply. Neither of us are real big on teary, heartfelt apologies.

"Alright, back to business. When I gave you the abilities of a raging cold front, it must have upset your body's homeostasis. Now I have a theory on how to restore your internal body temperature back to normal, but no promises. It's just a theory..." Davenport's voice trailed off as he got in what he called, 'the zone'.

"Video games rot your brain!" A loud call sounded from the living room. Adam was holding the TV remote high above Leo's outstretched hands as he fiddled with the buttons, trying to turn it back to regular TV. Leo was jumping up and down, going crazy in pursuit of the remote. But the odds were not in his favor.

"Young, impressionable children like yourself should be using today's technology for educational purposes. Like the news!" Adam continued with a smile as he finally figured out how to get to regular TV. He flipped through channels old-school style without using the guide. Jeez, I wasn't the only one who needed a cure fast.

"No! The news is for old people! Adam, I know you're in there somewhere! Can you hear me?!" Leo shouted in Side-Effect-Adam's ear.

"Young man, it is extremely rude to shout at someone who's doing you a favor!" Side-Effect-Adam barked and turned his attention back to the shifting screen. Channel after channel flicked across the screen until it froze on an image of a fresh-looking guy in a tux gazing into the camera with a plastic smile. He read off a sheet of paper and calmly announced recent events that were no doubt boring. I tuned out his dull moaning and instead focused on the picture slide show going on behind him. One featured a pretty bad car wreck, another had a closing cancer facility, and yet another showed some celebrity stepping out of a limo.

So far, I wasn't impressed and almost shut out the news entirely until a new image appeared on the screen that caught my eye. It was an outdoor concert, Lemonade Mouth was the name on the banner, and it was burning to ashes. A little red flag went up in the back of my mind. Wasn't Bree going to an outdoor concert? It might be the same one. Man, I sure hoped not! Alarmed, I tuned back into the announcer's words to get more info.

"Lemonade Mouth outdoor concert ends in turmoil when the speakers suddenly explode the stage. Within seconds, the fire spreads throughout the crowd, burning hundreds. So far, no one has been reported dead although one individual, Ethan Williams, suffers severe injuries and is currently under constant medical care in an ER. That wraps up the news for today. See you tonight, folks." The announcer did a cheesy wink and the news cut to commercials.

It almost like a spell had been cast upon the inhabitants of the Davenport living room. Ethan Williams was Bree's boyfriend. Ethan Williams took Bree to that concert. Ethan Williams was in an emergency room. Only one question had been left unanswered. Where was Bree?

"And that confirms my theory." Davenport stated stiffly.

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**A/N:** **We've got some good news and some bad news. The good news is, Davenport can cure Chase before it's too late. The bad news is Bree's date went far beyond disastrous. In the next chapter, Bree will come back to narrate her crazy side-effected date. But I've got some more bad news. Chapter 3 is pretty long so it's going to take me a little longer to finish. What you can do to make me write faster is reveiw. Let me know what you think! Until next chapter... (:**


	3. Chapter 3: Burn It To The Ground

**Disclaimer: I do not own Lab Rats or any other Disney owned mention, only this FanFic which belongs to ME. © StripedFuzzySocks**

**A/N: Chapter 3 is finally here! Bree takes a big risk going on her date with Ethan while the update side-effects threaten to take over at any given time, but she decides to grin and bear it. Unfortunately, because of this she puts not only herself but everyone around her in danger. You think getting spinach stuck in your teeth is a date disaster? Just wait until Bree is finished with her story...**

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Chapter 3

**Burn It To The Ground**

**Bree**

I watched silently as buildings slugged past slower than light speed, which I'm more accustomed to - to say the least. The radio blared through the car speakers causing the rhythm to thrum the car itself and shake my chest with every low note. _This _is how a person should to listen to music, loud and proud. Ethan told me concerts are pretty loud so everyone in the audience can hear it. From everything he's said so far, I think I'll like the concert. It was nearly all my favorite things combined: music, dancing, and Ethan. Without even noticing, I had started swaying to the beat and humming the lyrics. But Ethan had noticed.

"You like this song?" He laughed playfully. His question broke me out of my dreamy state and into here and now. I blushed and shyly brushed some hair out of my face as I nodded. He grinned and turned up the volume a little louder so the music filled the car's atmosphere with its catchy rhythm. Suddenly, he started _singing_. At first, I just laughed but then I began singing with him. I couldn't leave the guy hanging.

Loudly and no doubt badly, we sang at the top of our lungs and put everything we had in the song. I even danced in the confined space that a seat belt offers. When it faded to silence and ads blared in the speakers, Ethan turned the volume down to almost nothing so we could talk. Both of us were roaring with laughter. After a few moments of cracking up, we finally settled down enough to talk.

"Funny that on our first date we're singing break-up songs." I joked, not a hint of my earlier anxiety visible in my broad smile and flushed cheeks.

"Hey, whatever it takes to make conversation." Ethan shrugged mischievously. "The first time I heard this song I was right here in this car driving for the first time. Pretty ironic that two 'firsts' happen at once, right?"

"Yeah, funny. When I first heard it, Chase, Adam, and I were watching TV together and an ad for the album popped up with the song playing in the background. I looked it up later and fell in love with it." I shared. That was back before Leo came into our lives and we set foot outside the lab. To be honest, once I experienced school and regular life, I hadn't thought much about my earlier life of isolation. But now that I remembered, I began to realise just how many memories I shared with them in that lab...

"You and your brothers are pretty close, huh?" Ethan asked, noticing my fond expression.

"Yeah, we grew up together. Until this school year, we've been home-schooled so I guess with no other options, we had to be friends." I chose my words carefully while still saying what I wanted to say.

"I guess I wouldn't know. I'm an only child. The only family I have is my mom and we never get along. My parents divorced when I was still an infant and I never knew my dad. Sometimes I try to remember him or imagine what he might look like, but it's all blank... sorry. I'm talking too much, aren't I?" He asked nervously.

"No, it's fine. Thanks for telling me that. And you know what's fun and totally not depressing?" I questioned cheerfully, trying to lighten the sudden dark mood.

"What?" Ethan glanced at me out of the corners of his eyes, his upbeat smile returning.

"Lemonade Mouth!" I cheered as the concert parking lot pulled into view. Ethan cheered with me and once again it was just the two of us and a joyful rhythm bringing us closer. I didn't even notice the bead of sweat forming on my forehead or my sudden rich, golden tan. How I wish I did...

* * *

"_You gotta turn the world into your dance floor_!" The lead singer, Olivia White, cried out beautifully, hitting every note flawlessly. I wish I could sing that good sometimes. But hey, in this world there are singers and people who save the world so people can sing. Unfortunately, I'm stuck with the thankless job of world-saving. Still, I was having a great time. They could've picked a cooler day to play, though. It was only their second song and I was sweating like I'd been out in the heat all day. I didn't say anything earlier for fear of being the rude, demanding girlfriend that complains all the time, but it was killing me.

I was burning up all over and breathing hard, each gulp of air a struggle. The little bead of sweat lingering the top of my forehead earlier had quickly strengthened to a boiling flood. I was sweating in places I didn't know _could_ sweat. But I did my best to keep the ruthless sweat at bay and continue to look amazing. A little heat wasn't going to ruin my date, that's for sure. I wouldn't let any dumb side-effect ruin this. Today was _mine_.

"Bree, are you alright? You're burning up." Ethan gazed at me with wary concern. He tenderly felt my forehead with the back of his hand.

"Everything's fine. I'm okay. Why wouldn't I be?" I was supposed to sound comforting but instead came off as panicked. Ethan wasn't buying it.

"I'm going to get you some bottled water. Be right back..." He looked like he wanted to say more, but obviously thought better of it and left me alone with my thoughts. I didn't want to be alone right then. I had an odd feeling that something horrible was going to happen and I didn't want to face it alone. Going on a date in public right after getting a major upgrade? Not one of my best ideas. I slapped my palm onto my soaked forehead with a groan. _Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! _I mentally screamed at myself. I was so paranoid about my 'perfect date' I was making up side-effects!

It was nothing more than a hot day. There was nothing wrong with me! I sighed contentedly, no longer concerned about side-effects. That is, until I heard something sizzling. This had to be good. I looked down at the direction of the subtle noise and gasped to see the green grass now brown and burnt, a little smoke rising from under my feet. It _was _me!

"Here's your water." Ethan came back sweet as ever. Poor guy, he had done nothing wrong to deserve putting up with my glitches. "And just in time! You're even more burnt than when I left! How is this possible? It's not even hot..." Ethan handed me the cool bottle looking dumbfounded.

"I don't know what's wrong with me. It might be a side-effect from that new allergy pill I took." I said carefully, taking the bottle gratefully.

"In that case, we need to get you in the shade. I think I can actually feel you radiating heat." Ethan joked, or at least I hoped he was joking. We moved to a shady spot near some fat chords running all the way to the front of the crowd then disappearing under the stage. It _did _feel somewhat cooler, but there wasn't a significant difference, as in I still felt like passing out. Meanwhile, my 'cool' bottled water closed in my flaming hand was getting hotter and hotter.

It boiled and hissed like a firework gone mad, the evaporated gases going crazy in their desperate quest of escape. Then without warning, the plastic cap flew off ten feet in the air and the liquid water that survived spurted straight out like a fountain until it finally ran out of ammunition and receded to sizzle to nothing at the dead ground below. Ethan and I gasped simultaneously and just as quickly started cleaning ourselves up. But I didn't get a chance too, as every drop of water that had landed on me had already evaporated.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry that happened." I over-apologized. I just knew something would go wrong! What was I thinking?! As if _I_ could ever have a normal date or a good relationship! Please, I -

"Hey, don't worry about it. It was just a defective bottle, not your fault." Ethan laughed good-heartedly.

"Right. Not my fault..." I muttered under my breath, knowing full well it _was _my fault. I glanced at the black chords where most of the water had ended up. I watched silently as the steaming water fizzed menacingly through the rubber exterior, trying my best to keep cool (literally). The music still playing onstage found its way back to my ears, this time a slow, romantic song. Ethan and I exchanged a knowing look and held hands. It might have been just me, but I swear he was grinding his teeth from his now seething hand around my even hotter one.

My heart ached for him. He was only trying to be a good boyfriend but by choosing me, he got way more glitches than he bargained for. Our almost romantic moment was cut short by a loud BOOM that would surely have deafened Chase if he were there. The earth shook causing more than half the audience to topple to the ground. Fortunately, Ethan and I were at the very back where the shock wave was weakest so we managed to stay upright (and it's nearly impossible to knock me down thanks to super agility). One thing many people overlook when describing major explosions is the pin-drop silence immediately after the big boom. Not a sound could be heard for several moments drawing into long minutes as slowly people began to recover from the shock.

Ashes coated the wrecked stage and many of the front row mass of fans. Finally, a menacing crackling sound broke the thick silence. And this time it wasn't just sizzling grass - the concert had turned into a bonfire in less than two minutes. That had to be some sort of record. Right before my eyes and the eyes of thousands, the fire spread quickly, a cloud of destruction burning to the ground all corners of the courtyard. Then as if someone had pushed a panic button, the once ecstatic crowd turned into a terrified mob. People were in a flurry of panic, pushing, shoving, and even stepping on others around them to get out. Their petrified screams rang throughout the courtyard even louder than the roaring flames themselves.

It was like watching a horror movie but worse because of the sickening dread of reality. When you watch horror movies, you have the luxury of being able to tell yourself that it isn't real and you have the power to quit watching at any time. I didn't have any of that as the horrific scene unfolded in front of me and with it came a flood of guilt. _I did this._

"It's all my fault! We're all in danger and it's all my fault!" My cry drowned out by the mob's noise but it was loud enough for the guy next to me to hear. That sweet, innocent heart of blessed ignorance who's one big mistake in life was dating me. Reflected in his big brown eyes was the same fear and confusion that controlled the mass of panic around us. I hated myself for making him feel that way. I hated myself for making _anyone _feel that way.

"Don't say that, Bree. You know that's not true. We're going to be okay. I promise." Ethan's voice was hoarse from breathing in the acid air and it looked like he was trying to convince himself more than me, but through it all he still managed a weak smile. He didn't deserve to be in this mess and I couldn't stand to put him through it any longer. _If I love him at all, I'll end this relationship for the better. _The painful truth pierced my heart sharper than any dagger, but I knew it had to be done. Being one of the world's first bionic super-humans really kills your social life.

"As much as I wish that were true, that will never be the case. Not as long as we're together. I know it's confusing now, but I hope one day you'll understand." A single tear escaped from my eye but I quickly wiped it away before he could see it.

"You're right, I don't understand. Can we talk about this first?" Ethan had a world of hurt expressed in his face and I wanted to tell him. At that moment, I was ready to tell him everything - bionics, the lab days, the Absolute State, how the secrecy was driving me crazy, everything. I turned away from his pleading gaze before my brave wall crumbled. Without warning, he suddenly reached out a tender hand to hold mine one last time. The touching sensation quickly turned into a burning sensation as his skin hissed furiously reminding me of someone accidentally touching a hot stove.

Ethan recoiled, jerking his arm back with a grunt of pain. He shook out his burned hand and pressed it against his T-shirt, trying anything to cool it down. When he cautiously checked out his palm, he gasped astonished. "You _burned _me!" Ethan stuttered, amazed more than angry.

I slowly began to back away, my stomach turning. My head ached with the millions of emotions swirling inside of me, I didn't know what to feel. "I'm sorry." I choked on my words, on the verge of breaking down into a two-year-old fit. With that, I ran away as fast as my genetically enhanced legs could carry me, or in other words - super speed style. Without thinking, I tore through the wall of fire so fast I was hardly scorched by its deadly touch. Any flames daring to cling onto me were quickly extinguished by the fierce wind blazing at my side once I was in the open. I ran until the concert was a mere flickering light at the edge of my vision. At last, I ripped my gaze from behind me to look ahead because truthfully, I had no idea where I was going.

But I had turned too late to miss charging head first into a tree. And let me tell you, when you're practically flying at 700 million miles an hour, crashing is not an option. I crumpled in a messy heap onto luckily a soft bed of grass (not that it made much of a difference) with a dull pain shredding my skull. Any other person in the world (even Adam and Chase) would have died on the spot in this situation. But of course, Davenport had anticipated me crashing at the speed of light sometime (I'm not little Miss Perfect) so he strengthened my skull, rib cage, and spine to about 100x to withstand every obstacle the world throws at me. However, that does not do anything to stop the excruciating pain that follows. _Ow ow ow ow OW. _Those were the only thoughts capable of reaching my brain, which had been tossed into a blender and set on _SMOOTHIE_.

I cringed as the pain worsened into raw agony and my still smoldering hands clutched my head to prevent it from splitting open altogether. I was glad that no one was around to hear me groan pitifully. But I didn't even get to have the pleasure of lying down, left alone to suffer my torture in peace. No, the smoke was already rising out from under me I recognized the dreaded crackling noise right away. Just in time to avoid being bionic toast, I flipped over onto my stomach, a new raging fire grazing my side rather than all of me. But my shirt was on fire. I reacted immediately just as I had been taught all my life.

Stop. Drop. Roll. That put out my shirt fire but it looked like another was threatening to come to life under me. This time I was expecting it and shot back on my feet before it even started sizzling. I needed to get away. I decided to walk normally to get a recon on my new surroundings - and a recap on what-the-heck-is-going-on. I kept my mind solely focused on survival thoughts so I wouldn't completely lose it. I appeared to be deep within a forest somewhere, though not too far from the concert: the monstrous fire could still be seen as a bright dot from where I was. _The concert..._ I roughly shoved the dark memories to the back of my mind, replacing it with a fake interest in where I was.

As I wandered along, deliberately away from the concert, I sang cheery songs in my head, made up my own songs, did everything humanely possible to distract myself from reality. My fingers brushed along a thorny, overgrown bush and almost instantly it burst into flames, sparks flying. That did it. I turned back on the mad-super-speed mode and zoomed through the forest, my fragile sanity ebbing. It wasn't long until I ran into (literally) a small pond that I jumped into without question. Remembering how thirsty I was, I began gulping down lungfuls of water knowing that it would be vaporized soon. The cool water, like everything else I touched, bubbled and hissed as it wasted away to nothing.

Oddly enough, the pond bed seemed to resist the pull of my searing heat and didn't burst into flames. Not yet, at least. I was still on my guard. I stood stiff as cardboard in the center of the mass of dried mud and that's when it all came crashing down on me. I lived in a test tube. I'm 15% robot. I tried to pretend I was a regular kid, going to an actual school, dating, worrying about things that normal people worry about like tests, friend drama, acne. But in reality, I was fooling myself. _I'm not normal! _I thought as a single, furious tear rolled down my cheek.

I just blew up a whole concert full of thousands of people involuntarily, and for what? The ridiculous idea that a _17-year-old _can save the world from all evil? I was a walking fire hazard, a danger to me and everyone around me. The memories that I had tried so hard to keep away came flooding back mercilessly. The roar of the flames on their path of destruction, the screams of the terrified and confused, that look in Ethan's eyes. Those beautiful brown eyes I fell for had stretched wide with fear, and overwhelming hurt when I told him goodbye. I definitely wasn't your ordinary girl, but I was no super hero either.

_What am I?_

My eyes stared blankly ahead, welling up a flood of tears fresh and ready to fall. I suddenly felt extremely weak, like nothing I've experienced before. My legs crumbled like paper beneath me until I was on my knees. My brave wall gave way along with my strength... and I burst into tears.

* * *

I don't know how long I sat there, just bawling my eyes out like a big baby until I heard someone coming. I roughly wiped away steaming tears with my soggy sleeve and warily faced whatever it was that I heard. A guy about my age with cute dirty blonde hair stumbled into the clearing. Basically, he was the last person I wanted to see right then. Cautiously, he approached me and I debated whether to bolt.

"Bree, what's going on? Are you _really _okay?" Ethan asked, his questions genuine. Well, let's see. I was breaking down in a crying fit in the middle of the woods with a trail of fire leading towards me as every problem I've ever had beat me up. Yeah, I'm totally fine. It was just a defective water bottle, that's all.

"I can't do this anymore." I admitted softly, more to myself than Ethan.

"You can't do what anymore?" He pushed gently, hesitantly taking a seat next to me.

"Everything. It's all too much, and no one understands. I never wanted to drag you into it, and I'm sorry you know me." Not gonna lie, that one stung.

"I'm not. I think you're amazing! Why would you say something like that?" Ethan exclaimed, shocked.

"It sounds crazy, but the whole world is depending on me to be perfect. It's what I was always meant to be, I've trained my entire life to use the abilities I've been given, but lately, I don't know if I'm good enough. Sometimes I wonder if Davenport made a mistake with me. I never really liked fighting anyway, but using my abilities to take out enemies? I'm just not cut out for it." The words flowed before I could stop them and I immediately regretted it. _Nice going, Bree! I hear the weather's nice in Antarctica! _I screamed to myself, oozing sarcasm.

"I don't know what the heck you're talking about, but you're cute when you're mad." Ethan stated simply. If I had to pick one thing I absolutely hated about that guy, it was his uncanny ability to say something cute and witty at any given time. Take right now, for instance. I just opened up my heart to him (a little too wide than I would have liked) with every deep, dark secret and emotion I've ever felt, and what is his response? *bad man voice* "You're cute when you're mad." But as much as it made me want to slap him, it also brought out a smile that outshined my tears.

"And I want you to know, I'm here for you. You're never as alone as you feel." Ethan reassured me, this time dead serious. It did feel nice to have someone on my side... and he was right in a way. Adam and Chase both had bionics and dealt with my same struggles. I wasn't the only one tasked with world-saving - the three of us were a team. No matter what. _Man, is Ethan a great boyfriend or what? _I thought dreamily. Without warning, I felt a gentle hand move my hair to the side and my unusually sluggish brain for once didn't respond to lightning-fast reflexes because of the simple touching sensation.

"Wha-" I was cut off from the dreamy statement to feel Ethan's lips meeting mine and in that moment, I realised why all those teen magazines made kissing such a big deal. It _was _a big deal. My mind was completely blank as _I was kissing him back. _I was light-headed (and not from the bizarre heat), my heart skipping a beat as I realised that this was actually happening. Ethan and I both unaware of any danger, deadly heat pulsed through my body, which was steadily rising in temperature. Without hesitation, the heat transmitted to Ethan, who's perfectly normal balanced body temperature would collapse in a matter of seconds. Because this is _my _life we're talking about, remember?

His skin was badly burned all over, but the first thing I noticed upon staring at his motionless body were his scorched lips. I knew this was because of me but I could worry about my own issues later. Right then, I needed to know if Ethan was alive. I anxiously felt his wrist for a pulse and let out a huge breath I wasn't even aware I was holding. He was alive, at the moment at least. I was no doctor, but it looked like he needed some medical attention fast. I shot to my feet and fumbled around my over-the-shoulder handbag for my phone.

Relieved, I found it and starting punching random buttons, vaguely wondering whether to call 911 or Davenport. Davenport would want to keep this on the down low and take care of Ethan himself, but let's face it. He may be a genius inventor and an expert on biology and technology, but he's no doctor. Ethan would be in better hands with the professionals. Besides, with all the damage I've done already, the least I could do was get him some real help. I focused on the dinky little phone screen and dialed the famous number.

"Hello, you've dialed _911_. What is your emergency?" An all-too-cheerful woman on the other end chirped.

"Uh-um, my b-boyfriend, his name is Ethan - Ethan Williams - he, uh, has severe burns from, like, the concert fire and stuff." I stuttered, feeling rushed by the woman's fast pace. Was I giving her enough information without being too suspicious? I didn't have much time to think before Mrs. Rapid Fire Speech responded.

"Alright, can you give me his location?" She shot back automatically. _Um, um, location, location... Think, Bree! Think! _I willed myself. I did a light-speed 360 on my surroundings in a dumb hope that I would suddenly know exactly where I was. _GPS! I have a built-in GPS! Thank you, Davenport! _I spontaneously recalled, and just in time. I could hear the woman tapping her fingers impatiently on a desk and I feared she might give up on me and hang up.

"77.6 degrees West, 41.0 degrees North." I claimed with more certainty.

"Hang tight and w-" With a series of crackling pops, the woman was cut off, mid-word. Alarmed, I turned just in time to watch my crystalline phone screen shut off by itself before sinking into the scorching, metallic blob that was once a phone. That's right, I was so hot I melted _metal_. Now it was crunch time, I had to pull out the big guns. But the question was: where was a genius inventor/dad when you needed him? Before zipping back home to find out myself, I dared one last sorrowful glance in Ethan's direction. _He'll be okay. _A voice in my head assured me.

I'm no expert on random voices in head, but since it was saying what I wanted to hear, I decided to trust it. Besides, there was no way I was sticking around to get grilled by the cops on say, why there was a dying teen in the middle of the woods with me being the only one around to point fingers at. Yeah, I think I'll pass on that one. I started super-speeding away but felt no rush of wind, adrenaline, or anything, really. In fact, I was running like a _normal person_.

But I wasn't thinking about speed as I slowly decelerated to a staggering limp. _There's something wrong with the world._ I thought dumbly. It was spinning - fast. Faster than my suddenly exhausted mind could process. It was fading, too. I think I collapsed onto the forest floor, but I wasn't sure. I wasn't sure of anything anymore, it all just sort of blended together, like a big, pretty black blob. _Hush, go to sleep - forever. _The thought of it sounded _so _good right then. No more heat, no more 'big destiny', I could just rest peacefully in my own little dreamy paradise. Sighing, I closed my eyes and let myself sink into the dizzying blackness...

* * *

**A/N:** **Wow. Bree _and _Chase assault water bottles! XD Anyways, I hope you all liked this chapter because it took me forever to make one this long! I know, I left the story at another cliff hanger but don't worry, the next chapter is on its way. Be sure to tell me what you think because it's your reviews that keep me writing. See you next chapter ~ StripedFuzzySocks.**


	4. Chapter 4: Believable Lies

**Disclaimer: I do not own Lab Rats or any other Disney owned mention, only this FanFic which belongs to ME. © StripedFuzzySocks**

**A/N: You've probably been dying to know what happened after the last chapter ... well, here it is. I won't spoil it for you, so kick back and I'll let Bree take it from here...**

* * *

Chapter 4

**Believable Lies**

**Bree**

There was nothing but infinite white as far as the eye could see. But I wasn't going to give up now, not after everything I've been through to get here. It felt like forever since I'd been this energized, this full of determination to complete my mission. I was _so_ close, _so_ close I could almost taste it. My little brother was out there somewhere in that snowstorm, and nothing would stop me from finding him. Nothing. If I squinted really hard, I could just make out the horizon line, the only thing in this freezing blizzard to remind me that there was something out there, however unlikely.

Katabatic winds roared furiously as it shoved me backwards with brute force. Windburn tears streaming, I pushed onwards, the thought of Chase going through all this enough to keep me going. I will find him. With each step forward I took, the storm swallowed up every trace my feet imprinted in the snow. None of it bothered me as I trudged on, led by sheer instinct that Chase was near. Not far now, I could feel it. I was so ready to see that familiar face. So ready to hear the sound of his voice. I needed him like I needed air. There!

A lone shadowy figure could just barely be distinguished against the mass of white, I almost thought I was imagining it. But it was enough proof for me, for somewhere deep inside of me I knew it was him. I quickly picked up speed, growing more and more excited. This was it, this was really it. But I never reached him. I was trapped in an endless cycle of running while the figure remained stationary, neither getting bigger or smaller. He was so close, yet so far. Is this how it ends? Am I doomed to run forever, but never reach him?

* * *

My eyes snapped open, wide with exhilaration. I was panting hard with a hand over my heart. Thank goodness, it was just a dream. But jeez, it was _so _vivid! What if _that_ was real and _this _was a dream? I shook my head wearily, too tired to think straight. The last thing I remember with certainty was kissing Ethan. No, the _last _thing I remember is calling 911 after Ethan passed out. The whole episode was all so surreal and I was still trying to process everything that happened. As of right now, I had no idea where I was, if I was awake or asleep, dead or alive.

I tried to sit up and get a better look at my surroundings, but excruciating pain gripped my side, causing me to collapse back to my original position. Okay, so I wasn't dead. If I were dead, everything would be painless - I'm pretty sure. I rubbed my side to feel it wrapped up neatly with thick bandages. Did someone find me and treat my burn? That's when it hit me. I wasn't hot. In fact, other than my side injury, I felt totally fine. It was just as if nothing had happened at all. I checked my arms to be sure. Normal skin tone. Ugh, this was too bizarre, even for me.

I stared up at a blank, white ceiling, my only clue as to my whereabouts. So, I was indoors with bandages covering my burn... that on top of the overpowering antiseptic smell, my best guess was a hospital. _Now... how to break out of a hospital?_ I wondered, just as the squeal of a door opening broke into my thoughts. Already, my muscles had tensed for battle and my hands were curled into fists. I guess old habits never truly go away. Not being able to simply turn around and see who it was, I tracked the mystery visitor by their footsteps, which clanked loudly against a tile floor.

"Oh, good! You're awake!" A gentle female voice exclaimed. She loomed over me, her thick blonde hair pulled back in a ponytail. Deep green eyes laid on my brown ones, which suddenly felt dull and simple. She seemed sympathetic, like she felt sorry for me or something. Like she cared. Now I was really suspicious. This had to be a trap. What if they were operating on me and found my chip by accident? What if I was trapped here as a hostage? Jeez, I need to get out more.

"Uh-huh." I answered simply, my eyes narrow and calculating. "So, do you mind telling me what's going on?" The woman smiled warmly and continued.

"You were in a terrible explosion, hun. You're very lucky your family showed up in time to give you CPR, you fainted from heat stroke. From these records, it's a miracle they managed to return your body back to normal homeostasis..." The woman puzzled at her clipboard as if trying to crack time travel.

"So, if my homeo-whatever's okay, why am I in a hospital?" I asked. The woman looked back at me startled, as if she'd forgotten I was there.

"You see, you also have a third-degree burn in your side. That's the severe kind. I'm afraid your surface nerves and tissues are badly damaged and you'll need to stay here for a few days to heal from your surgery. Oh, silly me! I forgot to tell you - you had surgery." The woman informed me solemnly. I quickly converted normal person healing time to bionic person healing time and concluded that it should only take a few hours. _Chase isn't the only one who knows how to do math. _I thought smugly and wondered what I was going to do all that time without a phone. I cursed under my breath before responding.

"Okay, where's my 'hearts-of-gold' family now?" I asked groggily. After my forest meltdown, I needed to pound some explanations out of Davenport. No more Mr. Nice Guy for him.

"They're waiting out in the hall. I'm sure they'll be just ecstatic to see that you're okay." More big smiles. I was starting to think she had a caffeine problem. "Ah, it's stories with happy endings like yours that remind me there is good in the world." What the _... _?

"What do you mean by that?" I gawked. Just when you think you've seen it all, a Dr. Barbie you've never met randomly says you're an inspiration. Huh, there was that sympathetic look again.

"Oh, I apologize if being adopted is a touchy subject for you. I know it's hard, I actually spent more than half of my childhood in an orphanage. But things have obviously worked out." She motioned towards her PhD framed on the wall. For a moment, I felt bad for her. She was pouring her heart out to the wrong person, what with me being a lab experiment and all. How was I going to tell her?

"I'm glad you were eventually adopted, but I think you have me confused with someone else. See, I wasn't adopted." I put as politely as I could. She looked confused for a moment, then seemed to redeem herself and return to a soft smile.

"The doctors performed a blood test as is the standard procedure before an operation. You're not related to Mr. Davenport, but instead originate from an entirely different bloodline. Did he not tell you already?" Dr. Barbie questioned, more warily this time. Something wasn't right... I was _positive_ Davenport said he'd created us by extracting some of his own DNA into ours, so why wasn't his blood showing up in me? A little red flag went up in the back of my mind as I realised what this could mean. But that's impossible! Isn't it?

"N-no, he conveniently left that point out." I mumbled, half to myself. I brushed off the shock, I didn't know anything for sure yet. "What exactly do these test results say?" I practically growled, my voice like steel. Dr. Barbie was really startled now, blinking fast and hurriedly organizing her notes as she responded.

"I-I don't know, exactly! I'm just a nurse, I only know what the doctors tell me." She insisted.

Frustration gripped me harder than any burn. I needed to know! I bolted upright in my bed and immediately regretted it as raw pain seared my bandaged area mercilessly, causing me to wince in spite of myself. "_What. Do. You. Mean._" I forced out, ignoring all my physical pain. Dr. Barbie gasped and then recovered enough to gain some backbone for once in our 'little talk', her expression hardening sternly.

"Lay down at once or you'll risk re-opening your burn!" She ordered frantically. "I don't know who you real parents are, only that you don't share DNA with Mr. Davenport! Now, get down." I could tell she was trying to sound tough, but her voice was shaking. If this woman really knew anything, I had an idea of how to get her to talk, but it would hurt. _Please don't make me do this. _I willed silently. I placed a tentative hand on my masked wound in a threatening manner, not taking my eyes off the bewildered nurse.

"You wouldn't dare!" She whispered breathlessly, staring down my hand like a hawk. _Do you know me? Oh, yes I would._

"Are you willing to risk it?" I argued. After several seconds of stunned silence, I slowly began to peel the bandage off, causing Dr. Barbie to shriek.

"Stop! I'll tell you what I know!" She hollered. That was good enough for me, I decided. I gratefully sealed the burn back up as best I could and faced her, hoping this wasn't a tease. She gulped in air, taking a few moments to catch her breath. Wow, I had really freaked her out.

"Okay, start talking." I said tensely.

"The doctors store all the patients' information on a super-computer in the basement. But it's restricted access only, I can't even get in. The security's tight and on 24/7. You're out of luck, kid. There's no way in." Dr. Barbie spilled, seemingly angry that she had given that much away.

"Thanks." I stated, slightly disappointed. But only slightly. I still had a fighting chance once I healed up, then it would only be a matter of time before I had some real answers in front of me. It might not be easy, but I don't need easy. I just need possible.

* * *

I zoomed effortlessly through the shadows of the night toward the hospital. Once I had reached the back wall, I cautiously weaved my way through some bushes, trying to make as little noise possible. It was dark out, finally. It had taken a whopping _five hours _for my burn to heal completely. And if you're bionic, that's saying something. I must have really hurt myself yesterday when my shirt caught fire. As expected, the doctors were shocked and amazed by my speedy recovery, but not even invasive science guys can argue with the fact that you can't keep a healthy patient trapped like an ill one. Thank goodness for hospital policies. Unfortunately, now I would have to backstab those policies.

It turned out Ethan was spending the night, due to severe hyperthermia (basically the opposite of hypothermia). I felt horrible about it, but at least he would be good to go for school tomorrow. And one good thing did come out of his condition: amnesia. Not only did he not remember my confessions, but the whole screwed up date was a blur to him. Talk about a life-saver, am I right? One less thing to worry about, now I could save room for other things. Like, my real parents, where I came from, maybe even my true purpose in life. Just a thought.

The embarrassing part of it all was _how _I was saved. As it turned out, Chase had the exact opposite side-effect of me but we were both brought back to normal when he... gave me mouth-to-mouth. Or in other words, EWWW. Note to self: never pass out again, ever. I had to admit, I was a little worried that Chase's super senses would pick up on my escape, but apparently those noise-canceling headphones worked because he never stirred. But finally, it was time. Back at the hospital, I'd tried my best to memorize the emergency exit hospital maps they have in every room.

For a moment, I closed my eyes and tried to remember its dimensions, but it was a blurred image. I could only recall the essentials that I made sure to know. Shaking my head in frustration, I was beginning to realise why Chase loved his eidetic memory so much. Of course, smarts could only go so far. Speed was the key in this break in. Keeping my guard up, I cautiously left the cover of the hedge and sped up a grassy hill. Next to the main building, there was a huge HVAC box that I wasted no time in unscrewing the cover off.

Just as I had expected, behind the cover was a razor-sharp high-speed fan. I let myself laugh softly under my breath at the words 'high-speed'. These people had no idea who they were dealing with. I zipped right through that sucker, no one could ever guess anyone was there. Except maybe the unscrewed cover, but I would deal with that on my way out. For now, I was in. Taking a deep breath, I started making my way through the air vent system. I carefully trekked through the endless metal tunnel, looking around, considering which way to go, for what felt like forever. I hated all the uncertainty.

Occasionally, I had to freeze when I heard someone coming, then continue nervously until I calmed down to regular precaution. But finally, I arrived at the main branch of the HVAC system. After a moment's hesitation, I toughed up and marched into the vent that led to the basement. Just a few more minutes, another couple hundred yards, and I would be at my ultimate destination. _Let's do this._

I see no need to go into a lot of boring detail, but I found my way to the hospital's 'off-limits' data base. So far, the plan was working beautifully. I busted out the vent filter, half-expecting to hear loud motion detectors blare through the dark room, blowing my cover. I froze tensely in the shadows, but heard nothing other than the eerie silence of night. I allowed myself a soft sigh, since it looked like no one was around at the moment. Inspecting the abandoned computer room warily, I spied security cameras lining each corner of the room and made a mental note to take out the footage before I left.

Quickly, I zipped to the comically over-sized super computer and booted it up silently. I flinched at the bright, drowning screen light shattering the concealing darkness. So much for that camo, but if anything happened I knew what to do. A spark of determination glistening in my eyes, I started ripping open folders, examining files, staring stupidly at infinite lines of computer code... I had nothing. After an hour or two (yes, hours), I groaned furiously, my face buried in my hands as I pounded on the keyboard. The game plan had been foolproof, I had every move mapped out to the second. I was so excited about a solo mission and maybe, just maybe, finding out where I came from, that I had looked over one major flaw in my plan.

I didn't know _nothing _about the world of geeky technology. There was nothing here, nothing! And to think I actually thought I might find my real parents! Why was I so _stupid_? Deep down, I had kinda hoped that once I found out my real parents, they would be the perfect, loving cliché parents everyone raves about in cheesy Christmas movies. I always laughed at those picture perfect families with soggy-heart kids that might not last a day on their own. But that was just it. They didn't _have _to be super tough and independent all the time, they had people who loved them to take care of them.

Sure, Davenport did his best to act fatherly (especially in front of Leo), but sometimes I still catch him accidentally calling me Subject B behind my back. That was my name for the longest time, before I started to want something special. I slouched in the chair with my thinking face on, refusing to cry again. I was so sick of crying and feeling sorry for myself, I just wanted to punch my emotions away head on. That was more in my comfort zone. Even if I did find my real parents, what happens then? When I couldn't come up with an answer, I realised this was a wasted trip.

Sighing, I decided to just go home and forget this ever happened. I needed to put these soggy feelings behind me and get on with my life, and if that life was led in a lab, then that's how it is. Silently, I rose from the chair and focused on the security cameras above. Time to erase tonight. Before I moved a muscle, I heard a tiny clanking sound from behind me. I whipped around lightning-fast, just in time to spy the heavy metal door open with great effort. In less than a millisecond, I had turned the super-computer off and sped up onto the ceiling, clinging to the flat surface silently. I didn't dare breath as the figure closed the door behind him and calmly approached the computer.

While he busied himself with that, maybe I could just inch a little closer to the vent... the guy's head shot up without warning, looking me straight in the eye. A smug 'gotcha' grin played upon his face... that face. Oh my gosh, what was _he _doing here? I let myself nimbly drop down onto the floor next to him, easily landing on my feet. We were face to face now.

"What are _you _doing here?" I accused, bewildered.

* * *

**A/N: Yay, Bree and Ethan aren't dead! But it looks like we have another problem on our hands... who do you think the stranger is? Meanwhile, thanks a whole big bunch to everyone that commented on my last chapter! You guys are truly inspiring! And once again, the more support I get on this story, the faster I write! See you all in Chapter 5. (:**


	5. Chapter 5: A Date With Destiny

**Disclaimer: I do not own Lab Rats or any other Disney owned mention, only this FanFic which belongs to ME. © StripedFuzzySocks**

**A/N: Hey, thanks to all my fans for reviewing my chapters! You guys totally rock! I want to give a special shout-out to BTRlover1122, december's nightmare, and Lady Cougar-Trombone for being the first person to review _every single chapter_! Wow! It took a little longer than expected to finish this one because of the holidays and all that, but I really like how it turned out and I hope you will too. All I can say to introduce this chapter is... stuff is about to happen (lol)! Chase is back again to continue the story, so I'll let him take it from here...**

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Chapter 5

**A Date With Destiny**

**Chase**

I walked calmly across the pitch-black room, acting as if I owned the place. I don't care what Bree tells you, smarts is _always _a must have for break ins. There were multiple ways into this top-secret data base, not just the classic air vent. I myself decided on the main entrance, but how I got there you might not want to know. Anyways, it turns out that noise-cancelling head phones don't work (not that I really expected it to). The whole head phone thing was just a ploy to make Bree feel confident sneaking out to the hospital basement and eventually, the super computer.

Oh, was I _not _supposed to know about that? Well, she should have considered the guy with super senses right outside the hallway before having her slap fight with the nurse. Just saying. I sank into the chair facing the super-computer with a smug grin already creeping its way onto my face. The slightest scratching noise coming from above told me Bree's exact location on the ceiling. Bingo. I flipped my head back to look her straight in the eye, a 'gotcha' grin plastered on my face. Gosh, you should have seen the look on her face when she recognized it was me! Classic shocker!

Quick as lightning, she was standing next to me, face-to-face. I jumped in spite of myself - no matter how many times she comes at me light-speed style, I never see it coming. For a few seconds, my super senses freak out, frantically trying to locate the fast-moving object, almost on habit, like it can't help but know where everything is at all times. It was a glitch, but Davenport was working on it.

"What are _you _doing here?" Bree accused, seeming genuinely shocked at my presence.

"Same as you. I came to help." I answered honestly. She just sighed in exasperation and shook her head sadly. Weird... that's not the Bree I know.

"Then you're out of luck. There's nothing here. I'm going home and forgetting this ever happened. You with me?" She asked, sounding defeated. Okay, now I was officially alarmed. Where was the determined 'punch-away-problems' sister I thought I knew? I would have been fine with her yelling at me for following her, pushing me away, but Bree giving up all depressed like was more than I could handle. 'Feelings' weren't really my thing, but I needed to fix this.

"No. We start a mission, we finish it. You came here to find out where we come from, remember?" I pressed, but I could tell from her doubtful expression my words weren't sinking in.

"Chase, this was a stupid idea! I never should have come in the first place, and you! You, of all people, should be telling me to forget this!" Bree exclaimed, her eyebrows crinkled in upset lines. For a moment I was speechless, there were so many things I wanted to say right then, but nothing came out. With one last heavy sigh, she turned away from me and walked to the air vent. _Come on! Say something! _I willed myself.

"But I want to know!" I blurted out, causing Bree to stop in her tracks.

"Know what?" She questioned warily, not turning around to face me. I never do things like this, so my skin was crawling as I opened up to her.

"I want to know who our real parents are." I forced out in a hoarse whisper. There, I said it. I was secretly dying inside to know if we had someone out there that wanted _us_, not our bionics. Maybe I just wanted the straight truth, I don't know. But I did know that somewhere in that super computer, there were answers. Answers I intended to find out tonight. But I needed Bree on my side. Finally, she turned to look at me, unease reflected in her amber eyes.

"Me too..." She admitted, rubbing her arm like she always does when she's nervous. That makes two of us. "I guess you could take a whack at it." Bree smiled good-natured. Yes! Now for the easy part: computer hacking.

I smiled back and parked myself in front of the over-sized computer and pushed the ON button, causing the screen to whir to life before me. A plain, black desktop background shown behind a single column of the most basic program icons. A little too basic, actually. It reminded me of a brand-new computer, one that hadn't been used yet. But that wouldn't make any sense... this super-computer had been used to store hospital records for _years_, according to my sources. And not to mention the complete lack of security. I didn't have to put in any passwords or anything, it just opened up. Something wasn't right.

"Bree, did you have to type in a password, get through a firewall?" I asked, still checking out the home screen.

"No, was I supposed to?" She answered absent-mindedly, concentrated on her own project taking out the security camera footage.

Well, that confirmed it. They must be feeding us false information to keep us off the right track, but you can't fool super smarts. All I had to do was find the right account, the one with the real stuff. I clicked on the start button in the corner, pulling up hundreds of options to choose from. I knew what I wanted, I was in my area of expertise. Now I was in the control panel, scrolling down a list of accounts. Just as I had suspected, I was logged into a guest account with no records stored in it. No wonder Bree had wanted to give up so fast.

Hmmm, the accounts organized into years, so my first stop would be to check out our 'birth' dates. Adam, Bree, and I were roughly 18, 17, 16... we could all be in the same account. I logged into our possible account without needing to type in a password - that should have been my first clue that the account had nothing to hide. I searched files, documents, every shred of information it had but to no avail. As far as this super computer was concerned, we didn't exist. I cracked my knuckles and went back to accounts list. This might take a little longer than I thought.

"We have to wrap this up, Chase. The sun will be rising soon." Bree warned, exhaustion in her voice. I was tired too, but I felt like I was _this close _to finding what we came here for. No way was I going back just yet.

"Almost there..." I droned in response, my full attention on the computer. _If I owned a hospital, where would I store top-secret records? _I wondered, half-hoping the mission helper would pipe up with life changing advice. Hmph, guess not. Looks I was on my own with this one. I puzzled at the endless list of accounts, years upon years of information that was useless to us. Not five minutes later, I heard footsteps clattering down a long hallway, according the echo. I tensed, knowing the two sets of steps were heading our way. Bree showed no signs of hearing them, so I estimated we had some time to shut off the super computer and hide.

I quickly returned the system back to guest account and gestured for Bree to hide in the air vent. There was barely room for one in there, so I hid behind a small maze of file cabinets. A thick layer of dust coated the metal drawers, they probably haven't been used at all since the arrival of the super computer. For a moment, I felt bad for them. I couldn't imagine what it might be like to be rendered useless. Voices broke into my thoughts and I was back on guard, stretching my super senses to pick up on every word with clarity.

"But what is it you want me to do, Dr. Cooper?" A female voice asked, sounding flustered. The echo reached my ears sooner than last time. They were getting closer.

"I want you to make sure these files are _lost_." Replied an older male voice, tight with frustration. "You can't destroy them, but you can't have them found, either. Is that totally beyond your comprehension?"

"No, no, but -" She was cut off by Dr. Cooper.

"But nothing!" He snapped. "Surely you can handle this one simple task, Dr. Holland! Put the files where _you _can find them, but one else can! Or is that too much for you?" Dr. Cooper sneered. I shook my head. What a jerk.

"No, I can do it." Dr. Holland sighed, sounding defeated.

"Very well then." Dr. Cooper responded calmer now. I heard his footsteps fade as he stalked away, leaving the woman alone to do her job. I heard the low groan of the heavy metal door opening, then slam shut. A small click followed and bright, fluorescent lights illuminated the room, causing my eyes to burn painfully. I rubbed the stinging sensation away, waiting for them to adjust. A metal drawer opened right next to me. I froze, not daring to breathe as I heard papers rustling and then the drawer closed. _Come on, leave. _I thought, every nerve on alert.

But instead her footsteps came closer, in my direction. _No! Turn around! Leave! _I desperately willed. If only Davenport could've given me mind control. If Dr. Holland found us, it could be disastrous. The footsteps stopped, and my heart skipped a beat. She sneezed then walked to the exit. The light snapped off and the door closed, bathing the room in darkness once again. I let out a huge gulp of air, my face white from holding it so long. That was a close call. My eyes met Bree's from across the room and she read my mind.

Not freaky-bionic-power 'read my mind', but she-knows-me-too-well 'read my mind'. I blinked and she was sitting beside me, causing me to flinch in surprize again. I'll never get used to that. She nudged me in the ribs, probably wanting to know if it was safe to talk again. I stretched my senses to cover the radar of average hearing and came up with positive results. We were alone once more. I gave her a small nod and she smiled, bolting upright then lending me a hand to help me up.

"So, what's the master plan now, Einstein?" Bree asked me, barely suppressing a yawn, reminding me of how late it was.

"Well, before the doctor came in here, she was talking to someone else, probably her boss. He wanted her to hide some secret files so no one can find them. So far, this is the biggest lead we have yet. I think it's worth checking out." I informed her, hopeful.

"Now that you mention it, I did see which drawer she put the files in. Let's pop it open." She exclaimed with newfound energy.

Bree opened a metal drawer and began sifting through packed bundles of identical manilla folders, her eyes narrowed in concentration. I also searched the drawer for anything out of the ordinary. I honestly don't know what I expected to see - a chained up folder labeled TOP SECRET in big, black letters? Yeah, right. I stood by while Bree riffled through and closed some more folders, trying to remember where she left them.

"Wait a minute." She said suddenly, and I looked where she was pointing to see several old, beaten up files lumped together with a just as old rubber band. "I think this is it."

"Are you sure?" I asked breathlessly. This could be it. This could _really _be it.

"Positive." Bree whispered back, her gaze locked on the files. Her expression revealed nothing and I was dying to know what she was thinking. With a shaky hand, she pulled the files out and gave them to me.

"You wanna do the honors?" She offered.

"What do you think?" I nervously laughed as I took the fading files. I clutched onto them for dear life, frozen in the moment. _It might be a false lead. _I thought hopefully, then realized what I was thinking. _This is what I came here for, and I intend to get it. _I told myself unconvincingly. Who knows what we might find in these old, beat up files? What if one day I deeply regretted ever opening it? This could change everything... for better or for worse. _Oh, for the love of me, man up and open the files! _That time, it wasn't my thoughts at war, but my mission helper. It was back.

Well, the mission helper, however annoying, was never known to be wrong before. Do I open it? Do I open it? Of course I open it! I ripped off the rubber band and heard Bree suck in a breath. My eyes raced down the lines of text - and my throat closed. I almost went into shock on the spot. I saw _our _names, names of rooms, doctors, names of parents. I saw pictures of babies (probably us) and some adults that seemed to match up with the names. Were these our parents? They had to be! Oh, gosh. Oh, gosh. This was it! This was exactly what we needed!

Floods of biological information and random numbers cluttered the pages along with the legible stuff. Bree's breathing had become rapid as she tore into the pages of truth like a vulture. I, too, was mesmerized with our discovery. So much that I had lost my guard. That's when all heck broke loose. The black room rained red and the horrible, deafening scream of an alarm shattered my ear drum. I crashed on the floor, covering my ears with a death grip, my eyes slammed shut. Too much light, too much noise noise noise _noise_! I was in hysterics, thrashing on the floor uncontrollably.

_It's killing me! It's killing me! I'm going to die! _I thought, panicking. I forgot how to breathe, I only knew the merciless pain crushing me. _Make it stop! _I pleaded to no one. I was a computer on overdrive, everything coming at me at once. I sobbed. I wailed. I shut down. And then it stopped.

* * *

My senses were freaked, my body shaking. The silence was thick and welcoming after... that horror. Still, I didn't move for a long time until I realized I wasn't in so much pain anymore. Cautiously, I tried opening one eye a slit. It was too bright, but my retina wasn't searing.

"Chase?" Bree's small, scared whisper woke up my nerves again, sending unbearably painful chills down my spine. I tensed, but felt myself slowly beginning to recover. I was maybe 10 percent more like myself now.

"Chase, are you okay yet?" She asked again. _Just fine and dandy! _I felt well enough for sarcasm. _Peachy. Never better._

"Chase, I need you to snap out of it!" Her voice was starting to rise with alarm at my unresponsive behavior. She shook me gently, causing more shut off nerves to work again, to feel. Slowly, I opened both my eyes to find them operating like normal. I was back in the lab, curled into a tight ball. The first thing I saw was Bree's relieved face gazing into mine. That got me. A couple of synapses actually connected in my brain, and my body as a whole powered up.

"Oh, thank goodness!" Bree sighed, overjoyed. One piece at a time, memories came back to me and I uncoiled myself to sit up.

"What happened back there?" I croaked. The sound of my own voice surprized me. It was thin and rusty, made of nails.

"I guess some late motion detectors set off and you went crazy. It was like you were having a panic attack or a seizure. I couldn't calm you down, couldn't reach you... you really scared me back there." Bree admitted. I believed her.

"Sorry. So, how did we end up here?" I rasped, even though I could guess what happened next.

"You shut down and I grabbed the files then dragged your butt out of there." She finished. I lit up all over again at the mention of the files.

"We didn't get caught?" I double-checked, a smile beginning to form on my lips.

"Nope! We are the luckiest kids on the planet, by far." Bree laughed softly and I joined her. Man, I couldn't believe she was able to get both us _and_ the files out of there. She's way tougher than she looks, that's for sure. It's actually my favorite thing about her. That must have been some alarm to trigger my 'shut down' option. All three of us have it: if a vital body part (in this case, my ear drum) is in danger of being permanently lost, our bodies completely shut down until the danger is gone and the chip re-jump-starts the body back up. I know it's a little creepy for a person to just die suddenly on its own, but Davenport had always said the most important thing above all was that we were super-human. I mean, I can't have super senses if I'm deaf, right?

"Do we have time to look at the files before everyone wakes up?" I whispered, warily studying the sleeping figure of Adam. Bree shook her head.

"Sorry, but we only have like, five minutes before alarms start going off." She shrugged drowsily.

"Oh, well. After school, then?" I asked, suddenly wishing it hadn't taken all night. I was practically asleep on my feet.

"Definitely. In the meantime, I hid them in my math binder where they'll be safe for now." Bree assured me, then stood up to settle into her capsule. "So, are you sleeping on the floor, or what?" She quipped, only half-awake now.

"Maybe." I usually have a stinging, clever retort at the ready, but my brain was swamped. Maybe tomorrow. She giggled softly under her breath then started to drift into sleep mid-laugh. _My thoughts exactly, Bree. _I thought as I encased myself into my capsule. My eyelids were heavy with exhaustion and finally, after fighting it this whole night, I let them fall. Peacefully, I floated in subconsciousness, almost asleep when I heard the shrill and sure beeping of an alarm clock ringing in my ears. I groaned out loud, way too tired to be ticked off.

"Good morning." Adam announced cheerfully. _Good night._

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**A/N: Okay, not that much of a cliff-hanger there, but you do get to find out for real what's going on with the parent issue in the next chapter. As always, review review review because how else am I supposed to know your thoughts, reactions, confessions, etc.? See you next chapter, StripedFuzzySocks.**


	6. Chapter 6: The Price of Perfection

**Disclaimer: I do not own Lab Rats or any other Disney owned mention, only this FanFic which belongs to ME. © StripedFuzzySocks**

**A/N: Hey, guys. Sorry this chapter took awhile to finish because I've been strangly busy lately, but the truth is here if you're ready for it. The Lab Rats certainly are, but Davenport - not so much (just by the way, this chapter is most definitely not the end of this story, but merely the beginning of a wild ride...). Anyways, Bree narrates this one for the most part with a little interjection from a certain someone ;). Enjoy...**

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Chapter 6

**The Price of Perfection**

**Bree**

I slammed my locker shut with an unusual burst in energy - something I've lacked all day. The hours had droned on and on for me, most of the time I spent watching the clock like a hawk. I wouldn't let my math binder out of my sight, so it added an extra weight to carry from class to class. But none of the details of my sluggish day mattered then, because it was _finally _over! I could hardly wait to tear into the files I've resisted peeking at for so long. Carefully, I cushioned my math binder just perfectly in my backpack, hoping the rough school day hadn't beat them up too bad.

I zipped my backpack closed and slung it on my back, hardly able to contain my excitement. I nonchalantly observed the scene unfolding around me: kids slamming lockers, rough-housing in the halls, chattering noisily about he-said-she-said, the usual stuff. But none of the daily activities of my peers thrilled me - I was on the lookout for a certain brown-haired kid genius. Where was he? Chase had _promised _he'd meet by my locker after school, so what was holding him up? This meeting was the reason I put up with today at all. Grrr... not Chase... not Chase... _not even close_... not Chase... Ethan?!

I tensed in surprize as he approached me. Glimpsing his rich, golden tan, I inevitably recalled the last time I'd seen him. You guessed it - the freaking _concert_. Or as I like to call it, No Name Because It Will Never Be Talked About - Ever. It's a little long, but it'll catch on. I had a terrible pit in my stomach, suddenly hoping I could get amnesia too. I let myself imagine the brief fantasy before Ethan caught up to me. Oh, man. _Please don't want to talk about No Name Becau - you know, I don't see that catching on anymore. _I thought, feeling sick.

"Hey, Bree." He addressed with a friendly smile.

"Hi, Ethan." I smiled back, pretending to not have inner turmoil.

"I just wanted to ask you what exactly happened last Saturday. On our date?" Ethan pressed, his eyes wide with curiosity. In my mind, I was banging my head into the wall repeatedly. In the real world, I stood dumbly still, my cheeks burning. Personally, I don't see much of a difference.

"Erm, well... you took me to the concert..." My shaky voice trailed off as I recognized a life-saving familiar face. Chase's timing is uncanny. He gave me the universal 'wrap it up' gesture, looking impatient. I would have to discuss that with him later, but right now I was grateful for the free ticket out of this conversation.

"Is there something wrong?" Ethan asked, trying to pinpoint what I was looking at.

"Actually, yes. I have to go home now, like _now_. But we'll talk about this later, kay?" I offered, falling victim to his disappointed expression. Darn my soft-hearted sympathetic side!

"Oh, okay..." Ethan replied, but I was already hustling through the crowd to where Chase waited. It took all my will power not to rocket right through these yahoos and save myself the trouble. Oh, well. Blending in has its drawbacks. Finally, I reached him - even if it took a big jerk to shove me right into him. Before I could whirl around and shout 'Hey, watch it!', the mystery jerk was already engulfed in the crowd. I shook my head irritably and turned my attention to Chase, who was obviously on edge - even more than usual. I knew how much he hated the after-school rush, it _way _over-crowds his senses.

"What took you so long?" I confronted him in a hushed tone.

"Bathroom. Yes, I know this might shock you, but even _I_ have to go sometimes." Chase replied snidely, and I punched his arm in response. He just laughed it off and immediately switched to a more serious demeanor like only he can pull off.

"So, you still got the stuff?" He breathed, making sure Adam and Leo weren't around. I don't why he bothered - they should already be on the bus by now. But then again, Chase's paranoia had come in handy more times than I can count, so I decided to hold back on the teasing - for now.

"Of course. Do we have the lab to ourselves?" I asked. That was his job.

"Yeah, Tasha's at work, Davenport's at some convention, and Adam and Leo just got a new video game. That should keep them busy for a while." Chase reported effortlessly. Wait, hold on a second -

"Since when did they get a new game?" I asked. Chase just smiled and dug something out of his backpack... he didn't! I had to cup a hand over my mouth to keep from laughing out loud. Jeez, this kid was one dedicated liar. In his hand was a brand new game, still smothered in shrink-wrap.

"You _bought _them a new game? When did you even find the time to get this?" I took it out of his hands, examining it over with mild amusement.

"I have my ways. Now, speed me home. I wanna get as much information from these files as possible before anyone finds us out." Chase concluded, snatching back the game and starting to jump on my back. I pulled away, signaling him to wait. There was one more thing worth mentioning before we left.

"Wait, I've been thinking and I realized that these are Adam's roots we're looking at too. Don't you think we should include him?" I argued. Chase looked hesitant, thoughtful, and conflicted all at once, while I waited perfectly patient for an answer.

"Any day now, Einstein." I rolled my eyes. Now, that's patience for me!

"You know he couldn't keep a secret if we taped his mouth shut, right?" He said finally.

"Well, _yeah_, but I just thought that -" Chase interrupted me.

"I get what you're saying, Adam _does _deserve to know, but not yet. Let's just see what happens first, okay?" He insisted. I guess he had a point...

"Fine, but _never _interrupt me again." I agreed through narrowed eyes. Chase just grinned and rolled his eyes.

"Whatever you say, _Mom_." He mocked and jumped on my back. I had to bite my tongue to keep within the rules of no cussing in school, but I must say, I was in an especially good mood at the moment. Maybe it was the possibilities of finding everything I've always dreamed of possessing. Or maybe because my teachers, for once, decided to ease off the homework load. Whatever the reason, I zoomed home with a smile on my face. Adam could wait.

* * *

I felt a trembling sense of elation as I started pulling out pages we'd gotten from the hospital. I mean, these were the answers to the mysteries of our lives, right? Gotta be pumped about that. Chase, in his annoying but useful way, had separated the pages into two equal stacks (yes, he really did count) so we could both look them over at once. Since we'd just started, there wasn't anything big yet, but I knew it was coming. I knew what I saw last night...

"Okay, if you see anything interesting, just let me know." Chase exclaimed, just now beginning on his first page.

"Aye, aye, captain." I saluted and was met with another page of scrambled computer code, F28236eff bla bla bla. A few actual words popped up here and there, but none of it made sense. The only clue that these were connected to us _at all _were two distinct words hidden among the babble: Davenport Industries. Just those two words made my eyes pop out of my head, and I decided to give this page another closer look. I started reading slowly, sounding out words to myself. I know I could've set it aside for later and searched the rest of the pile, but this was driving me insane. There must've been something good in there, otherwise they wouldn't try to hide it in code._ Hmm, wonder if Dr. Frankenstein Jr could understand this nonsense..._ I thought, looking at Chase.

"Hey, I think I found something!" His voice rose in excitement as he held some papers tighter, enlightened eyes flying down lines of text.

"What?!" I gratefully shoved my pile aside and raced up to see what he found. I frowned at all the big words and formal talk and wondered what the point of this was. Well, I guess anything beats gibberish.

"It's a profile record on a woman named Courtney Douglas. No records on injuries or sickness, just three instances of reproduction in which all three babies died shortly after birth due to a shared heart condition..." My own heart (_still beating_, thank you very much) fluttered as I sucked in a breath. This had to be us. It just had to be. "Other than that, she came in for an appointment to check up on a fourth child, then that's it. She's never been seen since. I found a newspaper article that claimed she'd gone missing. I don't think she was ever found." Chase finished and a dead silence crept between us.

"So, do you think it's possible...?" I dared to breathe.

"Why else would it be clumped together with files on _us_?" Chase persisted. If it's possible to be on your toes while sitting, he was doing it.

"Did you actually _see _our names in here yet?" I questioned, refusing to get my hopes up about anything yet.

"Well, not today, but last night I saw pages of reports on our biological info. They had our names on it." Chase insisted, sounding more sure than ever. Hesitantly, I took the document from him and studied it closely, feeling him breathing down my neck. A slightly grainy black-and-white photo was paper-clipped to it, featuring a fair-skinned woman with rich, wavy dark hair and a smile for the camera. I stared bug-eyed at it for a moment, feeling my not dead heart quicken its pace. One other thing, she was the spitting image of Adam.

"Some homework you got here." Chase and I jumped at the sudden remark coming from above. I whipped my gaze towards the sound of the voice to be met with the hulking figure of Adam himself, cocking his head at something he grabbed from my pile. I fought the urge to snatch the papers back, but it looked like it was already too late. Why hadn't Chase heard him coming? No one _ever _sneaks past his senses, me being the only exception. Did last night's alarm have something to do with it...?

"What is all this?" Adam mumbled in a hoarse whisper, his eyes becoming round as saucers as he read on, probably not knowing more than half the words.

I opened my mouth to answer, but Chase beat me to it. "Just a project we're working on." He replied nonchalantly, holding his hand out as a gesture for Adam to give him the papers. I shut my mouth with frustration, shooting Chase a well-deserved death glare. Why didn't he just tell Adam the truth? Why all the secrecy? He was already reading the information, anyways. The gesture seemed to be lost on Adam, who, ignoring us completely, kept flipping through the stapled papers he held.

"Where did you get this?" he asked very unAdamlike. Before Chase could spew more lies, I raced to answer first, sneaking him a victory glance.

"Hospital. We broke into a hospital last night and 'borrowed' these files on us." I informed him, earning myself a horrified look from Chase and a shocked expression from Adam. How could I word this next part without any eyeballs popping out? "We think this might be proof that we actually have real parents." I added. Like ripping off a band-aid.

"So, this is real, then?" Adam pressed, tapping his pages. Chase and I nodded solemnly. "Why didn't you tell me sooner? How long did you know about this?" Adam asked, sounding hurt. I suddenly felt super guilty about not telling him beforehand, then immediately blamed Chase. I'm funny like that.

"Just since last night... and maybe a little when Bree was still in the hospital..." Chase answered with regret. Good, he had a conscience after all. "We're sorry we didn't tell you before, but we were afraid you might accidentally tell Davenport or something. Not that you can't keep a secret! I mean, you totally can-" I shot him a warning glance and he shut up, realizing he was babbling.

"Adam, we were going to tell you. We were. We only wanted to make sure we had the right information first, because you deserve that." I smoothed over sweetly. Adam looked like he was calculating whether or not to believe this, so I gave him an (I hoped) earnest expression just like that nurse back at the hospital wore (you know, _before _I almost gave her a heart attack).

"Oh, okay." Adam said agreeably. One of his best traits is his ability to forgive easily, which I was always grateful for. Especially now. "Well, this looks like right information. It's got signatures and everything." He claimed, tossing me his papers. I caught them naturally, to no one's surprize.

Gah, more big words. A lot of it was so wordy I just skimmed through, hoping for pictures that never came. But Adam was right about it looking all official - complete with stamps, signatures, and six pages of bla bla bla. Adults are just so dang cute with their 'important documents' and 'official talk'. Good thing we had a translator. I shoved the pages at Chase while grabbing some stuff from his pile to decipher. I could tell he was seriously ticked off by my lack of organization, but some little red flags seemed to go up in that 'beautiful mind' of his and he re-focused his attention on our goal.

"Thanks, Adam. You can help us tear this stuff apart. We need all the help we can get." I offered. He grinned happily and started looking into my pile with that adorable determined look on his face.

In less than two minutes flat, Chase had hit the jackpot. Jeez, he was one bright kid. We all gathered around his discovery like toddlers eager for story time. I know you might be tired of hearing about this by now, but I think this was really, truly it. And I'm not saying it because I get a kick out of getting your hopes up for nothing, I'm telling you like it is. The good, the bad, and the ugly - you get it all.

"It's a contract, or rather, contract_s_." Chase took a shaky breath, as if he was procrastinating the real news. I gave him an encouraging nod to continue instead of say, slapping him as an outlet for my childish impatience. I'm trying to work on that.

"Davenport bought three healthy newborns straight from the hospital for three billion dollars in top confidentiality. The doctors rigged the medical equipment to stage their deaths so everyone would think they died... Guys, our parents gave us away - like, on purpose." After that bombshell, Chase went silent, his face expressionless and his jaw set. That's when I knew how upset he was. We all were, even though nobody said a word. Not even Adam had anything to respond to that. Okay, so our parents were total jerks that sold babies to science. Talk about a major let down.

I don't know what I had expected exactly... but it wasn't this. I couldn't help but wonder if it was something I did wrong to make my parents want to give me away. If they didn't want me then, they wouldn't want me now, right? So, would it be crazy to look for someone who doesn't want to be found? That's crazy, right? Please someone stop me before I do something dumb...

"Maybe this is a good thing." Adam said out of the blue. Chase I looked at him in shock.

"Our parents _sold us _to be experimented on under no conditions!" Chase's voice shook with barely supressed rage. I was speechless.

"Well, what were you expecting? A nice, cutesy couple willing to adopt? We had to end up where we are somehow. And anyways, even if that were the case, I don't want to just pack up and leave all this behind. We have a _family _here, guys. I know Davenport isn't exactly the fatherly type, but he lets us go to school and lead somewhat normal lives, remember? He must care about us. I for one am glad that nothing has to change." Adam preached.

My jaw dropped open in a big O of surprize. Since when was simple, happy Adam preaching like a mountain side guru? Once the shock cleared, I began to realize that he had a point. Maybe this was for the better, after all. I had all the family I needed right here and I couldn't leave that behind for blind hope.

"Um, Bree? You should close your mouth before you start catching flies." Chase remarked bluntly. Self-conscience, I quickly closed my mouth and moved on.

"Wow, maybe you're right. I don't think I would be able to leave all this behind. They're jerks, after all. Why should we want them if they don't want us?" I changed back the subject smoothly. Chase nodded his head, soaking this all in while Adam looked pleased to have me agreeing with him.

"I guess that makes sense." Chase agreed slowly, thoughtfully. You could practically see the wheels turning in that crazy brain of his. Then, unexpectedly, he looks at both of us seriously and, get this, says, "I'm glad we have each other."

Chase, my cynical robot, just showed emotion. _Real _human emotion. After Adam's little heart-warming speech and now Chase 'reaching out', I was getting seriously creeped. Who were they and what have they done with my real brothers? _Just go with it. _A little voice inside my head said. Um, okay. I'd rather not talk about this at all, but I guess if we never do, then we never will. Alright, I'm going with it.

"Yeah, me too." I smiled a genuine smile, because you know what? This was better. Let those cheesy Christmas movies have their perfect families! We were perfectly imperfect, just the way I liked it.

* * *

**Davenport**

I let out a huge sigh of relief I had held during that whole conversation. That was close. _Way _too close. But as always, I had fixed it just like I always have and always will. I can't believe I almost lost them to their _parents_. No doubt that would've led to ultimate disaster. I didn't know their mother well, I just knew she would break them if her husband hadn't done anything about it. He was a smart guy. He knew that in the grand scheme of things, the world must come first - not petty emotions. These super humans weren't lap dogs, they were warriors!

And warriors they would remain as long as they stayed with me. I would make sure of it. I stood up and stretched out my muscles, stiff from sitting so long. These 'conventions' could run long at times. But my work here was done, so I carefully packed up my elaborate gear and began to head out - until something caught my eye. Whipping around, I realized I had accidentally left my old picture out. Frantic, I quickly stashed the keepsake into my back pocket and walked away, glad that no one was around to see that. I took the picture everywhere with me. I needed it.

I know it's silly (and _forget _scientifically proven), but I feel like as long as I have their image with me, they're still by my side. It helps me forget the cruel reality, I guess. But enough about that unfortunate tragedy, I needed to focus on the present. I had the three most magnificent scientific advancements at my house that I had a duty to. It was a tough, thankless job, but one day I would be praised in every history book for my gift to mankind. _Just you wait._

* * *

**A/N: Wow, what a chapter! _Tons_ of foreshadowing and other hidden plot elements scattered throughout this one, just FYI. If you wanna play detective, be my guest. The biggest one of all is hidden right behind that blue button near the bottom of this page that says 'Post Review'. Go on, click it! You know you want to... ;)**


	7. Chapter 7: Back in Black

**Disclaimer: I do not own Lab Rats or any other Disney owned mention, only this FanFic which belongs to ME. © StripedFuzzySocks**

**A/N: Hi, everyone! Just a quick recap, the Lab Rats uncovered where they came from upon searching the hospital records, but did they really get the whole story, or just know the half of it? Davenport himself has a shady past that will come back to haunt him in this chapter. Oh, and I hate to disappoint you guys, but there is no Marcus (just between you and me, my absolute favorite brow-raising villain) in this story only because I planned this whole thing out before his delightfully mysterious character was introduced. Anyways, without further ado, I present to you the full-blooded long-awaited Chapter 7.**

* * *

Chapter 7

**Back in Black**

**Chase**

"I will never understand your kind." Bree was shaking her head in mock disappointment as I tightened the tie around my neck a little harder. I rolled my eyes in response to her sly remark as though I couldn't care less what she thought. Which, in this case, I didn't. Davenport and I were attending a fancy shmancy suit-and-tie convention on where Itex Corp. would _finally _reveal their particle collider to the public. I mean, I'd seen it once when I'd had to shut it down to save the world, but that didn't really count. It was broken and freaking out then. I wanted to see it in action.

If all the propoganda about it was true, this could be huge breakthrough for science! And I was going to be there to witness it and maybe even make my own contributions to the subject, thus jump-starting my career. To sum it up, I was over-the-moon excited about it - a feeling that was unfortunately lost on my siblings. I could really only talk about it to Davenport, since he was the only other person in our crazy family that would truly understand my excitement. I had been _trying_ to tell Bree about it just for the fun of it and as expected, got me nowhere. Oh, well.

"Yeah, me neither." Leo chimed in from across the room as he stuffed barely surviving binders into his cluttered backpack. Call me a neat freak, but that was my interpretation of it. "I mean, you're ditching school to do _school_. It just doesn't make sense."

"This is way more than just school, guys! I've been waiting to see this thing in action for months! This could change our whole perception of -," I was interrupted by a chorus of yawns and rolled eyes. I quit trying to talk in my frustration and turned away from them, hoping I looked busy doing something.

"It's not that we don't care about your little nerd club, we just don't... what's the word...?" Adam attempted to smooth it over.

"Like it?" Bree suggested.

"Respect it?" Leo added.

"Ooh, I got it! We don't get the point." Adam concluded, seeming pleased with himself. I sighed in exasperation.

"Can't you just let me be excited about this?" I asked.

"Fine, if it's really that important to you..." Bree's voice trailed off into an over-ecstatic cheer, Adam and Leo's voices soon joining in the chorus. I laughed with them, the former tension in the room dissolving into happiness. Lately, it had been like this between the three of us - peaceful, happy, friendly. We got along most of the time and our fights were usually short and half-joking. It had been two full weeks since our discovery of the files, and it seemed to have triggered a 'get-along' bionic or something. I guess it really is true what people say about secrets - they bring people closer together.

Even though the news of our parents was, well, _disappointing _to put it lightly, just knowing the truth brought us all relief in our everyday lives. To myself, I hoped this era would never end - that time could just freeze on us here, laughing happily as a patchwork family somehow stitched up together. _Nothing lasts forever, Chase. _My mission helper chimed in. I don't how it is in your brain, but in mine, the day just isn't complete without a mission helper quoting Yoda. Or just plain raining on my parade. _Things change. You're all getting older, you have a new little brother, you even attend a public school now. _It continued relentlessly. _You need to learn to accept change. You want to survive in the mission of life? Adapt. Go with the flow._

It was all I could do not to smack my forehead with my palm. _Can't you just let me be happy for one measly second? _I shot back at it. If a voice inside your head that isn't yours could giggle, it was definitely giggling. _I'm not here to make you happy, silly. I'm here to help you. _It replied evenly; ever the calm, cool, and collected type. It was a quality we shared.

"Ready to hit the road?" The unmistakable voice of Davenport asked from behind me. My excitement grew and bubbled over again as I nodded calmly.

"Great!" He replied then turned to Adam and Leo. "Tasha should be out in a few minutes to drive you guys to school, but we're leaving, so bye!"

And then we were all exchanging goodbyes and Davenport and I met the self-driving car. I could hardly wait to get there.

* * *

I'll tell you this much about science conventions: they're mind-blowing. Imagine all the greatest minds of our century (plus me; even greater mind) gathered together in one place to share the latest discoveries. _That's _how mind-blowing it was. Okay, I'll admit I was on the look out for any super humans or at least hybrids, but it looked like I was the only one to be found. For the first few hours, I had helped Davenport show off his latest inventions, but now I just wanted to explore other's contributions on my own.

Some gasps, 'oohs', and 'ahs' echoed out of a room 320 steps away on my left. That's right; my super senses are fully up and running now. For a short time, they had been slightly faulty thanks to the hospital basement incident, but it had only taken a short time to recover after the blow. Curious, I sped up the pace to see what all the commotion was about. A crowd had gathered around a professional looking woman and a strange contraption that for the life of me, I could not identify. And since not being able to identify _anything _is unthinkable for me, I had to check it out.

"As my assistant has just demonstrated, this compact device is capable of reading and recreating any memory or experience with a simple procedure. It is not yet available for purchase in stores, but it's not like you could afford it anyway." The sales person quipped, setting off a low chorus of laughter. "But not to worry, the expected release date for the Past Life is this July. People, this is the technology of tomorrow today."

After that, she was met with civil applause and nods of approval. The woman smiled warmly and stepped down from the platform to let her audience get an up close look at the product. Intrigued, I wished I could take it apart and find out for myself what made it tick. I mean, reliving past experiences? This was a level of inventing that not even Davenport had reached. The crowd had gathered around the device, so I decided to talk to the woman demonstrating it. I saw her standing by a coffee machine, drinking slowly while eyeing the possible customers with interest.

"Hello. I'm Chase Davenport and I'm interested in how the Past Life works." I introduced myself, holding out a hand for her to shake. Turning her 'sell smile' back on, she took my hand politely.

"Dr. Williams. Nice to meet you, Mr. Davenport. Pardon me for asking, but aren't you a little young to be a billionaire inventor?" She laughed.

"No, I believe you're thinking of _the _Davenport. I'm his son." I corrected her. For some reason, it felt very strange and awkward to refer to myself as Davenport's son. I wasn't really sure what our relationship was, but father/son just didn't sound right. Anyways, I'd think about that later.

"Really? His son? I have to say, I'm a bit surprised. I've never really seen him as a family guy. But I guess he must have gotten over that." Dr. Williams continued, a distant look clouding her eyes. Was it regret? Hurt? Constipation? I told you I'm not good with emotions.

"Yeah, guess so." I said awkwardly, snapping her back to sales person mode. "Now, you were going to show me the Past Life."

"Right. This is basically how it works..." As Dr. Williams began back on the route of selling her invention again, the tension eased as we moved along in the demonstration.

The Past Life really was impressive - all you had to do was attach the electrode reading patches onto your forehead, then pick a date and time. The machine reads your memories and transfers them to the screen to see the experience through your eyes again. Man, I wanted one so bad. I bet even Adam, Bree, and Leo would be interested in this! Once Dr. Williams had moved on, I scanned and downloaded the device into my chip's memory bank for future reference. I could think of no better way to spend my weekend than to rebuild this thing on my own. I hoped we had the materials - BZZZ BZZZZZ. My phone buzzed in my pocket, bringing my attention span back to full alertness. Quickly, I fished it out and answered the call.

"Chase! Where are you?! You were supposed to meet me at the entrance a half hour ago!" Davenport's angry but fearful tone sounded on the other end.

"Sorry, I got caught up with an invention called Past Life and lost track of time. This scientist named Dr. Williams invented it. Have you heard of her?" I asked, obviously not sharing Davenport's sense of urgency. There a short pause and before I could ask if he was still there, Davenport answered.

"I've heard _of_ her." He said finally. He said it slowly - carefully - as if he were choosing the right words. Was there something he wasn't telling me?

"I just asked because she seemed to know you." I clarified, not wanting to make him uncomfortable. Which seemed to have the opposite effect.

"Really? What did she say?" Davenport's voice signaled an immediate and sudden interest, which confused me. Why did he care so much what she said about him?

"I don't know, just that she was surprised that you had a kid. She didn't think you were much of the fatherly type I guess." _Which you aren't. _I silently added to myself. Another pause.

"Oh." Davenport said, unusually blunt. "Just get over here and we can talk about it later, okay?"

"Um... okay. Fine, I'll meet you down there." I agreed, then hung up the phone.

I'm not one for massive understatement, but I'll have at it. That was weird. Downright odd. There was definitely more to this Dr. Williams character beneath the surface, and Davenport had something to do with it. The detective in me presided to look into it later, considering it had been awhile since I'd had a secret project to focus on. It felt good to be back in business. I thought about the new situation all the way down the first floor and as I exited the building.

Okay, I'll admit it. _I never stopped looking_. Two weeks ago, Adam, Bree, and I made a pact to give the origin files back to the hospital, keep the whole incident a secret, and move on with our lives as though nothing had ever happened. The thing is, I did only one of those things. I duplicated the files, giving one copy to the hospital and keeping the other locked in a hidden slot underneath my capsule. As for moving on, I am far from it. I just can't get the numbers and information - an intricate web of masterfully crafted lies - out of my head. It's proving to be physically impossible.

Perhaps that's my true glitch after all - I always have to know. And I have to know where we came from. Our story. I don't know why it's so important for me to find out all these things, but I just need some closure. Maybe then I can stop obsessing over this and Adam and Bree can understand and forgive me for breaking our promise. I have to know. The chipper beap of a car being unlocked interrupted my thoughts, and I stretched my senses to pinpoint the sound purely on instinct. Finding it almost immediately, I tuned into the area just for kicks, overhearing the conversation of the people entering the car.

"Why do we have to leave so soon? I thought we were going to check out some of the other inventions." A voice complained. I recognised the pitch and frequency, but I couldn't find an identity match just yet...

"Circumstances changed." An older female voice I identified as Dr. Williams responded bluntly.

"Could you be more specific? You're the one that dragged me here, so why do you want to leave so bad?" The other voice persisted. I could've sworn I'd heard it somewhere before!

"Just buckle up and be quiet. I'm trying to concentrate on driving." Dr. Williams' weary voice replied. The other voice sighed in defeat and the click of a seat belt sliding into place followed. Just as they were driving off, I heard one last statement before they were out of range.

"Whatever you say, mom." He said indifferently. That's when it all snapped into place for me. That was Ethan's voice.

* * *

**A/N: Okay, I want to say I am so soooo sorry for not updating in like forever, but things have been really hectic on my end! I know this wasn't a particularly exciting chapter, but it had to be there. Filler, filler, gotta write her. *shrug* I also believe I owe you a heads-up about this story - it has a whole lotta Ethan. More and more of him as the story progresses. I realise that some of you aren't fond of his character on the show, and I actually agree with you on that. As Bree's first boyfriend, I expected more than the average 2 episode pretty boy with a relatively flat persona. So, I have taken it upon myself to completely recreate him to fit my own take on the series. If his constant appearance truly bothers you, just recreate him like I did. Close your eyes and create the Ethan _you _want and imagine that actor participating in this story. Everybody happy? Good. As always, review because that's what keeps me writing. :)**


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